JAN 10, 2013
10 Wonders of the Ancient World
The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World is the first known list of the most remarkable creations of classical antiquity, and was based on guide-books popular among Hellenic sight-seers and only includes works located around the Mediterranean rim. The number seven was chosen because the Greeks believed it to be the representation of perfection and plenty because it was the number of the five planets known anciently plus the sun and moon. Many similar lists have been made. There are several wonders in the world. We posted the list of the Top 10 Wonders of The World before in wonderslist. Here we present the list of top ten wonders of the ancient world which are the masterpiece of the skill and hardwork of the people of that era. Today we become astonished to see these wonders that in so remote ages without any modern technology and machine how so great construction were made.
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is the pre Columbian, Inca empire site that is located almost 8,000 feet above the sea level. The site is located on a mountain ridge above the valley of Urubamba in Peru. The city is also called the “lost city of Incas”. Machu Picchu was built around 1450, at the height of the Inca Empire. It was abandoned just over 100 years later, in 1572, as a belated result of the Spanish Conquest.
Chichen Itza
Chichen was founded by the Maya civilization in 400 AD and it is located in the north central, north of Yucatan Peninsula now called Mexico. Chichen has a history that is 1500 years old and is located 75 miles from Merida. It is said to have been the main regional point for different ceremonies. During the earlier days & time, it was governed by priests. Chichen means “At the mouth of the well of Itza”. The word Chi stands for ‘mouth’, Chen for ‘well’ and Itza for ‘the Itza tribe’. The main belief is that people were thrown from the top as a sacrifice to make their god happy and the ones who could survive were the ones who were believed to be seers.
Colosseum
The Colosseum, or the Coliseum, originally the Flavian Amphitheatre is an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy. This is one of the greatest architecture ever built in the history of Rome. The Colosseum was originally known as the Flavian Amphitheatre and is the largest amphitheater to have ever been built in the Roman Empire. It is a circular structure that occupies a site east of the Roman Forum. This Amphitheater was built to organize gladiator contests, dramas and games like hunting animals, constructing mock sea battle and the public could also view it in the open, and cheer their favorites.
Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat is the largest Hindu temple complex and the largest religious monument in the world. Built from 802 to 1220 AD by the Khmer civilization, the temples at Angkor represent one of the most enduring and astonishing architectural achievements of humankind. The more than 100 stone structures that we see today are the surviving remnants of a grand administrative, religious, and social metropolis. The other buildings (public buildings, palaces, homes, etc.) were actually built from wood and do not exist anymore.
Alhambra
Alhambra, Calat Alhambra is a palace and fortress complex located in Granada, Andalusia, Spain. It was originally constructed as a fortress in 889, and was converted into a royal palace in 1333 by Yusuf I, Sultan of Granada. The Alhambra in Spain is called the red fortress and it is located in Granada, Spain. This place is a fort that is very complex in its structure. It was built by the Moorish who was a ruler in Southern Spain. The Fortress was made on a hilly terrain on the south – east of the city. Today, the Alhambra is one of the main tourist attractions of the country. Quite a few years ago, it was known to be a residential place of the Muslim rulers. It has some very intrinsic and beautiful Islamic architecture. During the 16th century, it had many interventions and all that can even be seen today.
Neuschwanstein Castle
Neuschwanstein Castle is a 19th-century Romanesque Revival palace on a rugged hill above the village of Hohenschwangau near Füssen in southwest Bavaria, Germany. The palace was intended as a personal refuge for the reclusive king, but it was opened to the paying public immediately after his death in 1886. Since then over 60 million people have visited Neuschwanstein Castle. More than 1.3 million people visit annually, with up to 6,000 per day in the summer. The palace has appeared prominently in several movies and was the inspiration for Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle and later, similar structures.
Golden Pavilion Temple in Kyoto
The Golden Temple is a building with three stories. The upper two stories are covered with a pure gold sheet, also called Kinkaku-ji in Japanese, was built in 1397 and it is located in Kyoto, Japan. It was initially made to serve as a villa for retirement for Shogun Ashikaga. It was quite later that his son converted the building into a Zen temple. The Golden Pavilion was burned twice and was reconstructed after five years. The main purpose of the pavilion is to work as shariden, storing the remains of the Buddha’s ashes.
Kiyomizu-dera
Kiyomizu-dera is an independent Buddhist temple in eastern Kyoto. The temple is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto UNESCO World Heritage site. Kiyomizu-dera was founded in the early Heian period. The temple was founded in 798, and its present buildings were constructed in 1633. There is not a single nail used in the entire structure. It takes its name from the waterfall within the complex, which runs off the nearby hills. Kiyomizu means clear water, or pure water.
Golden Temple of Amritsar
The entire top of the temple is made of pure gold and thus adds a lot of pride and beauty to the entire temple. The Golden Temple in India, which is often called the “Darbar Sahib or Harmandar Sahib” by the Indians, is one of the oldest places of worship for the ‘Sikhs’ and is located in Amritsar, Punjab. It is considered one of the holiest, blessed and sacrosanct places in India. It is a symbol of both beauty and peace. The temple is surrounded by a small man-made lake which has tons and tones of fishes in it. This lake is supposed to have holy water. The temple can be entered from four different sides and thus symbolizes openness, acceptance. This concept is based on the old tents which were open from all four sides, welcoming travelers from all directions.
Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is situated in Sydney, Australia. The opera house was made a part of the UNESCO, World Heritage Site in 2007 and is said to be the world’s most distinct 20th century buildings. It is also considered one of the most famous performing art centers in the world. The Sydney Opera House was built by an architect Jorn Utzon and also received the Pritzker prize in the year 2003. The synopsis of the quotation that was written on it said that the opera house is one of the masterpieces designed by this architect and will be considered the icon of the 20th century not only for this city but also for the country & continent of Australia.
